The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.

-Audrey Hepburn-

Dave took a steadying breath before marching through the sliding doors of the hospital lobby. He was ambushed by reporters As soon as his feet hit the concrete.

"Agent Rossi!"

"Can you tell us-"

"Back up! No comment!" He shouted over the noise. Shoving his way out of the throng towards the yellow cab. He wrenched the door open and stuck his head inside,

"What's going on here?" Vera asked, "reporters are lined up for half a mile."

"We need to move fast, keep your head down. Don't say anything, and keep that thing on." He hissed, gesturing to the scarf around her head.

He kept his arm around her shoulders and they pushed through the crowds dodging questions like gunfire.

"Agent Rossi!"

"What happened last night? Is The Replicator still at large? "

"No comment," Dave growled as they reached the sanctuary of the hospital and the doors slid shut behind them.

"What do they want?" Vera asked, unwinding the scarf from around her head, Dave was stunned by what he saw, he'd never noticed Erin's eyes replicated on Vera's face.

"Details, that's all they want."

"I'm inclined to agree," she snapped. "You were very vague when we spoke and I told Peter I would keep them informed."

Dave cracked his knuckles, the apple didn't fall too far from the tree. "Let's go talk to the doctors they can tell you more.

"Dr. Garrett?" Dave called, as he and Vera stepped off the elevator the doctor was comingtowards them.

"How is Erin doing?" Dave asked.

"Well, we have more information than we did last night. Her core temperature is back to normal but, there are some inconsistencies on her CT scan."

The nervous hitch in the doctor's voice set Dave on edge, "What sort of inconsistencies?"

After a beat of silence the doctor continued, "There is some swelling in her brain, not a lot. But

her injuries are far from minor. We're doing everything we can." Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

"How could you?" Vera spat, turning to Dave with tears in her eyes, "How could you let this happen? She called me the night you landed here, she said you all were on a case and she had a night planned for just the two of you. Now two days later she's laying in a coma! Why? What the Hell happened between then and now!"

"Let's go downstairs, and I'll explain everything-" Dave held up one hand and prayed for peace.

"No," she hissed, the word fell

off her lips like an icicle, "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me every last detail." She poked him firmly in the chest for emphasis, "And you will tell me now."

Dave's phone vibrated from his pocket before he could reply, "Just a second," he said, answering the

call, "What's up, J.J?"

"Rossi, it's done. The reporters are packing up, the press conference airs in about an hour."

His brows furrowed in confusion, "It didn't go out live?"

"I bought you an hour, I figure her kids are pretty young. They don't need to hear about it on the news."

"I'm working on that. Erin's mother is here now, thanks J.J."

He hung up the phone and turned back to Vera. "As you can imagine, walls talk, and they would love to destroy your daughter's reputation." He paused to let his warning sink in, "let's find a place where they talk less."

Dave leaned his back in the faux leather booth; the day was catching up to him. An untouched burger sat in front of him; the combination of exhaustion, worry and Vera's near constant smoking killed his appetite.

"You look like Hell, Dave." She rasped between puffs. Her earlier disdain for him was faded. Only to be replaced with confusion and concern for her daughter and grandchildren. "If I didn't know better I'd say you've been at that hospital for at least a week."

"It feels like it." He answered

honestly, it was a relief to have someone beside him. The team was great but there was still some bad blood between them and Erin. "We should get back, I've told you everything. There's nothing we can do here."

Vera stood from her seat stabbing the cigarette in the ashtray. "She'll pull through, She has to."

Squeezing her shoulder in a comforting gesture, Dave said,"Let's go see her."